Sometimes a halftime intermission changes the momentum of a high school football game.

That’s what happened in Palmerton’s 28-20 win over Northern Lehigh in Friday night’s Blue Mountain trophy game.

In the first half, the Bombers (7-1) were held to 37 yards of offense and two first downs and left the field trailing 6-0 at the break.

Coach Chris Walkowiak was asked what adjustments he made with his team in the locker room.

“We just challenged our players to come back out with more energy,” he said. “This was a rivalry game, and you can’t have regrets about your efforts.”

Palmerton took the second half kickoff, but turned the ball over on downs when a fourth down pass fell incomplete.

On Northern Lehigh’s first play from its own 49, Connor Lawless intercepted the pass and seemingly ran it back for a touchdown, but a penalty negated the score. Two plays later, Carson Eckhart broke off right tackle into open space, and cut to the sideline for a 24-yard TD run. With the extra point by Devlin Moyzan, the Bombers led 7-6 with 9:45 to go in the third quarter.

Three big penalties hurt the Bulldogs (5-2), two of which were personal fouls. They were forced to punt deep inside their own territory.

Cale Young returned the ball 22 yards, setting up Palmerton’s offense on the Nolehi 15-yard line. After a 12-yard run around right end by Young, quarterback T.K. Gursky punched the ball in from the three giving the home team a 14-6 lead.

The Bulldogs found their stride on their ensuing possession. Garret Smoyer, the Bulldogs signal caller, spearheaded a 67-yard scoring drive that took six plays and was aided by a Bombers’ penalty. Smoyer’s keeper from five yards out closed the score to 14-12 after a two-point conversion failed.

The Bombers took just three minutes to bring the score to 21-12.

On a third-and-10 from their own 27, Gursky connected with Lawless over the middle for a 73-yard catch-and-run touchdown.

The Blue defense forced a fourth down and punt from the visitors’ 6-yard line, giving Palmerton possession at the Bulldog 35 to start the fourth quarter.

From the 21 Gursky passed to Gavin Meixsell, who made a spectacular diving catch in the corner of the end zone to give his team a two-score advantage at 28-12 with 9:26 left to play in the game.

Smoyer took his team to the Bombers’ 10-yard line, but on a fourth down pass, cornerback Ben Negley knocked the ball away from a potential touchdown to preserve the 16-point lead.

On its next possession, however, Northern Lehigh’s Ryan Zambo returned a punt 26 yards to the Bomber 24.

After Smoyer passed to Chris Frame for a 16-yard gain, he broke free for an 8-yard TD run. With 3:38 left to play, the Bulldogs trailed 28-20.

The Bulldogs forced a punt, but on a second and 13 just across midfield, Jake Walkowiak intercepted a pass in the deep middle to seal the win for Palmerton.

Northern Lehigh dominated time of possession and field position, but came away with only six points on a 12-play, six minute drive to open the game. Smoyer connected with Colin Karetsky for a 21 yard TD pass.

Bulldogs’ coach Joe Tout took some of the blame for the loss.

“We should have scored at least another touchdown in the first half after winning the line of scrimmage. I take responsibility. I should have called better plays.”

He put the accountability for Palmerton’s resurgence in the second half on his team.

“We were undisciplined with the two personal fouls that helped them score. I know it’s a rivalry game, but we can’t have those kinds of penalties, and their second half interception changed the momentum back to them.”

“We played with energy and executed some big plays in the second half,” said Walkowiak. “In a rivalry game, we also did a pretty good job of controlling our emotions.”

TROPHY TURNOVER ... Northern Lehigh had won the last two games with Palmerton and four of the last five.

MAKING MEMORIES ... In a Times News a story published on Thursday about fathers who coach their sons, Walkowiak said his best memory of his son, Jake’s performance was a fumble he caused and recovered in a game against Salisbury. “My new favorite memory now is Jake’s interception late in the game to seal our win tonight,” he said with a smile.

UP NEXT ... Palmerton travels to Lehighton to face the Tribe next Friday night. On the same night, Northern Lehigh hosts Notre Dame-Green Pond.

Palmerton 28, No. Lehigh 20

Northern Lehigh 6 0 6 8 - 20

Palmerton 0 0 21 7 - 28

NL - Karetsky 21 pass from Smoyer (run failed)

P - Eckhart 24 run (Moyzan kick)

P - Gursky 3 run (Moyzan kick)

NL - Smoyer 5 run (run failed)

P - Lawless 73 pass from Gursky (Moyzan kick)

P - Meixsell 21 pass from Gursky (Moyzan kick

NL - Smoyer 8 run (Smoyer run)